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Imperial Ballet Awards
Reports
by:
Malcolm Goddard
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Molly Ward >>
David Gayle >>
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By
Malcolm Goddard
As a trustee of ‘The Gordon Edwards Charitable
Trust’ that administers the bequest that Kathleen
Browning left to The Imperial Ballet Faculty to fund
her choreographic competition, I was invited to attend
the Imperial Ballet Awards and to see the competition.
When I said that I would be delighted to attend I was
forewarned that there were only four entrants this year.
But those four were of such a high standard that it
did not matter.
I was particularly impressed by the imagination that
each of the choreographers brought to their presentation,
each one different in ideas and mood. I thought that
the use of stage space was excellent, they all looked
as if they had been created for the stage upon which
they were dancing. The choice of music is always a difficult
decision for any choreographer and here each one of
these young choreographers had chosen music that both
complimented their ideas and their dancers. For me,
as a choreographer, the costume design is one of the
most important things that must be decided upon before
I can start to write the choreography. In each case
I thought the costume design was excellent.
The first short ballet was created by Isobel Powell.
Her dancers had charming skirts made of soft material
that moved so well, complimenting both her dancers and
her choreography and adding another dimension to her
patterns and steps. Kathryn Davies used a great deal
of contemporary movements in her ballet which brought
tremendous excitement to her work, at the same time
adding light and shade and visually stunning pictures.
Jennifer Farrow’s ballet was a contrast in pink
and white and created a more delicate picture. Choreographically
very difficult, she gave her cast pure classical exercises
to begin her presentation and was fortunate that her
dancers were so talented.
The last piece by Katie Bond to the mesmerizing and
contrasting rhythms of the music of George Gershwin’s
‘Rhapsody in Blue’ had her dancers moving
with steps and patterns about the stage that both complimented
the lyrical and syncopated tempi of Gershwin’s
masterpiece.
Four short ballets of which each one of the young choreographers
can be justly proud, my congratulations to each one
of them. The judges, Miss June Rycroft and Mr Andrew
Wilson, had I am sure a difficult job choosing a winner.
Kathleen Browning was my first teacher 69 years ago
in Kingston-upon-Thames so I am very proud to be on
the trust that administers this award.
 |
 |
| James
Wilkie, a Dancer with the Royal Ballet Company,
who took the Joyce Percy Memorial Award Class |
Winner
of Grade 5, Jessica Jo Marshall |
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By
Molly Ward
A young dancer’s view of the Imperial
Ballet Awards
My name is Molly Ward, I am 11 years old and come from
Cork, Ireland. For the past three years I have danced
in the Imperial Ballet Awards and for two years in a
row I have been the winner of the Musicality Cup in
my grade. I am a very lucky girl. My first trip to the
Imperial Ballet Awards was in 2004. My heart was pounding
when I saw the big stage and all the other girls and
boys who were fantastic. I felt sick before performing
but became more confident once I got on to the stage.
I did not qualify for the final but it did not matter
because I enjoyed the experience so much. Once I had
got the taste for it I couldn’t wait to go back
the following year.
When I got back home I worked very hard at my ballet
class and before I knew it I was on the plane with my
Mum, my sister and the other girls from my ballet school
for the 2005 Ballet Awards. I wasn’t scared this
time - I just couldn’t wait to dance. My number
was 46 and I will never forget when I heard my number
called out, I had got through to the final. My heart
was thumping and I thought I might faint. I was so happy
to have the chance to dance again. I was completely
shocked when it came to the results.
I couldn’t believe it when I heard my number called
out as the winner of the Grade 3 Musicality Cup. I ran
across the stage to receive my cup from Marianela Nunez
and Fiona Chadwick. I was trembling from head to toe.
We had great celebrations on the plane home.
A few days later I was back working hard with my teacher
in the ballet studio. I was hoping to go to London again
for the 2006 Awards but I had moved up to Grade 4 and
I was afraid that I would not make the standard required.
I was really happy when I got my examination results
and I began to feel the excitement before I even got
on the plane.
When I got to the awards on Sunday 5th March, I was
looking around to see if I saw any familiar faces, I
recognised some girls from my first two visits. Everybody
was very friendly. We had our ‘warm up’
and before I knew it we were on the stage. It’s
hard to describe how I feel when I am on the stage -
when I hear the music I tingle all over. I’m so
happy, I love it so much I just don’t want to
come off. This year I was number 64, the same figures
as last year but reversed and I hoped that they would
bring me luck. When my number was called as a finalist
I was so excited but I was thinking about my friend,
Leanne, and was hoping that her number would be called
out as well. I was so happy when it was. We were getting
the opportunity to dance again.
The class seemed to fly by and all of a sudden we were
waiting to hear the results. I couldn’t believe
it when I heard number 64 called as a prize winner and
guess what, it was the Musicality Cup again. I ran over
to receive the cup from Tamara Rojo and Jose Martin
but I had to say to myself ‘I am number 64 aren’t
I?’ I held the cup and I felt so happy and proud.
I can’t imagine anything more exciting to happen
to me. I will treasure these moments and I am very grateful
to everyone who has helped me to get this far. I am
looking forward to the 2007 Awards and I will work very
hard. It doesn’t seem like work to me because
it is so much fun.
 |
 |
| Margarita
Reeve, Winner Grade 4 Finals |
Michael
Burton, Winner of the Junior Boys’ Cup and
3rd in Grade 6 |
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By
David Gayle
Founder of the Yorkshire Ballet Seminars and
first Co-ordinator of the Royal Ballet Summer School.
In my early training I studied both the Imperial Ballet
and National Dance examinations with my teacher, Mrs
Margaret Allenby Jaffe in Skipton, and I enjoyed the
work very much.
I was delighted to be invited to observe the Imperial
Ballet Awards and to see so many talented youngsters
working hard and having fun. It is a unique opportunity
for all these young dancers to come together once a
year and to have the experience of performing on a large
stage in front of a distinguished panel of judges. There
is a very friendly atmosphere and the teachers giving
the classes are inspiring.
Photography: Instill
www.instill-uk.com
Results
| Category |
Prize |
Name |
Teacher |
| Grade
3 |
Class
Prize |
Eloise
Massey |
Sharon
Glennie, Suffolk |
| |
Class
Prize |
Ophelia
Francis |
Joanne
Bond, Essex |
| |
Musicality
Cup |
Kate
Jordan |
Sammi
Dennard, London |
| |
3rd
Place |
Mia
Zandi |
Sharon
Glennie, Suffolk |
| |
2nd
Place |
Jadie
Hobson |
Joanne
Bond, Essex |
| |
1st
Place |
Helen
Walls |
Bronwen
Patching, Essex |
| Grade
4 |
Class
prize |
Rhys
Rice |
Jolene
Kiddle, Stonelands School |
| |
Class
Prize |
James
Field |
Sharon
Glennie, Suffolk |
| |
Musicality
Cup |
Molly
Ward |
Sinead
Murphy, Cork |
| |
3rd
Place |
Jessica
West |
Judith
Hockaday, Swindon |
| |
2nd
Place |
Hannah
Pye |
Sharon
Glennie, Suffolk |
| |
1st
Place |
Margarita
Reeve |
Joanne
Bond, Essex |
| Grade
5 |
Class
Prize |
Grace
Williams |
Kate
Williams, Cheltenham |
| |
Class
Prize |
Charlotte
Potter |
Joanne
Bond, Essex |
| |
Musicality
Cup |
Laura
Palmer |
Charlotte
Corbett, Norwich |
| |
3rd
Place |
Alice
Sims |
Sharon
Glennie, Suffolk |
| |
2nd
Place |
Gabrielle
Cocca |
Sharon
Glennie, Suffolk |
| |
1st
Place |
Jessica
Marshall |
Angela
Allport, Essex |
| Grade
6/Inter Found |
Class
Prize |
Laura
Day |
Corraine
Collins/Sadie Morgan. Cheltenham |
| |
Class
Prize |
Laura
Booth |
Angela
Allport, Essex |
| |
Musicality
Cup |
Georgia
Attfield |
Sharon
Glennie, Suffolk |
| |
3rd
Place |
Michael
Burton |
Donna
Buchanan, Cambridge |
| |
2nd
Place |
Rachel
Davies |
Corraine
Collins/Sadie Morgan, Cheltenham |
| |
1st
Place |
Megan
King |
Charlotte
Corbett, Norwich |
| Intermediate |
Class
Prize |
Isobel
Powell |
Janet
Marshall, Cheltenham |
| |
Class
Prize |
Emily
Warner |
Sharon
Glennie, Suffolk |
| |
Musicality
Cup |
Isobel
Powell |
Janet
Marshall, Cheltenham |
| |
Musicality
Cup |
James
Butcher |
Donald
Vleugels, London |
| |
Doreen
Wells Cup |
Laurretta
Summerscales |
Tracey
Summerscales/Alison Avis, Surrey |
| |
3rd
Place |
Saskia
Dixie |
Joanne
Bond, Essex |
| |
2nd
Place |
Natasha
Chung |
Sarah
Wilkins, Hertfordshire |
| |
1st
Place |
Laurretta
Summerscales |
Tracey
Summerscales/Alison Avis, Surrey |
| Stella
Mann Bursary |
2nd
Place |
Samantha
Lock |
Sharon
Glennie, Suffolk |
| |
1st
Place |
Lauretta
Summerscales |
Tracey
Summerscales/Alison Avis, Surrey |
| Eileen
Read Choreographic Cup |
Winner |
Rachel
Davies |
Corraine
Collins/Sadie Morgan, Cheltenham |
| Kathleen
Browning Choreographic Award |
Winner |
Kathryn
Davies |
Corraine
Collins/Sadie Morgan, Cheltenham |
| Joyce
Percy Memorial Award Cup |
Winner |
Megan
King |
Charlotte
Corbett, Norwich |
| Junior
Boys Cup |
Winner |
Michael
Burton |
Donna
Buchanan, Cambridge |
| Senior
Boys Cup |
|
NOT
AWARDED |
|
| Dancing
Times Teachers Cup |
|
Sharon
Glennie |
|
| Jean
Campbell Award |
For
services to the Imperial Classical Ballet Faculty
|
Stella
Mann |
|
| Wells
Summer School Scholarship, courtesy of Miss Francesca
Filpi |
Winner |
Laurretta
Summerscales |
Tracey
Summerscales/Alison Avis, Surrey |
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|
